Chicken or Beef or Luke?
by Dirty Twin
Summary: LL. Another piece of my little serie. What if both Luke and Lorelai finally started to think around the epi. Chicken or Beef?. Read and find out!


**Ha! You didn't expect that I would post a new fic right after finishing the old one huh? Well I'm amazing even myself sometimes ;) **

**Since you all the decided that you better read yet another "woulda-coulda-shoulda" fic then here it is. **

**As the title suggests it everything starts at the beginning of season 4 with the episode " Chicken or Beef?" I hope you'll like it just as much as my previous ones :D **

**Again un-beta read.. I think it starts to be a routine with me…. **

**He here you go.. read, enjoy and REVIEW! **

**Of course nothing is mine.. but then again ASP gonna die very painful death really soon so we all have a chance! not that she cares in the first place...**

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Lorelai and Rory were sitting at the table in the middle of the diner, just after the lunch lull started and Luke's wasn't that much packed. They were having a heated discussion either it was good or bad to go to Dean's weeding. Rory had met him earlier that day when he actually invited her and Lorelai. 

"So, he invited us to his wedding. " Lorelai asked

" And we're having beef." Rory confirmed.

"Well, what was his body language like?" Lorelai wondered. She always liked Dean and she was happy he was finally able to move on, but then again she was still shocked at the idea of him getting married right after graduating.

"Tall." Rory offered, not really wanting to go further into this.

"No, I mean, did he squirm or back away when he invited you or was he all darty-eyed?"

"Not much squirming, no backing away, but there was a little bit of darty-eye."

"So, he was nervous." Lorelai tried to pull it out from Rory. '_Of course he was nervous! He was your first boyfriend, and now he's asking you to his wedding' _

"Well, we were both nervous. I mean, we didn't expect to run into each other, and I think he probably just invited us 'cause he felt like he had to, to be nice."

"That does sound like Dean." Lorelai smiled

"So, what do we do? Do we go?" Rory was still confused about this whole situation.

"Oh, I can't decide this. He's your ex-boyfriend." _'Not that I know the answer myself_.' Lorelai thought

"It seems weird that we go." Rory tried to find all the pros and cons of the situation.

"Then we don't go." Lorelai decided.

"But if we don't go, it may look like we're trying to make some kind of statement." Rory tried again.

"Then we go." Lorelai immediately changed her mind, looking around for Luke that was making his way around the tables, re-filling coffee.

"If I had just stayed at Lane's for two more minutes. . ." Rory shook her head, wondering about the whole things she could have done that would prevent that meeting. She was still unbelievably nervous around him.

"Yeah, fate." Lorelai offered.

"Yes, it is fate. Do we ignore fate?" Rory asked which caused her mother's face changed a little. '_How many times fate played with us' _Lorelai thought/ '_One less drink and Luke could not be married now_' she joked in her mind but somehow that thought made her stomach tightened a little.

"I don't know. Do you have any important papers due soon?" she asked Rory.

"Why?"

"Just in case." Lorelai shrugged.

"Fate's gonna flunk me?" Rory panicked

"It's always a possibility."

"Well, then that's it. We are going." Rory sounded as if she was now sure about her decision.

"Going where?" Luke's voice could be heard from behind as he approached them with a fresh pot of coffee in hand.

"Dean's wedding. Fate's making us." Rory clarified seriously, pulling her mug so Luke was able to re-fill it.

"I hope fate will cough up forty bucks for a salad spinner for him." Lorelai joked and winked at her daughter.

"Please, there is no fate." Luke groaned frustrated after hearing yet another ridiculous idea coming out of Lorelai's mouth. His life was not easy lately. All the problems with the divorce and dealing with Nicole's lawyers, not to mention Taylor who was of course annoying as always, and never leaving Luke without a headache.

"What do you mean there is no fate? Of course there is fate." Lorelai asked shocked, gasping for air dramatically, hands over her heart.

"There is no fate!" Luke couldn't help but ranted. "There is no destiny, there is no luck. Astrology is ridiculous. Tarot cards tell you nothing. You cannot read a palm. Tea leaves make tea and nothing else. Jim Morrison is not hanging out with Elvis, and the Kennedys did not kill Marilyn. And there is no True Love!" Luke was on a roll, not even realizing the last thing he listed. He never was a romantic guy, but somehow always thought that there was someone for everyone. Even for him. But apparently the reality thought different and what was happening with his life lately made him change his mind.

"I totally knew you were gonna say that." Lorelai rolled her eyes at Luke's famous rant. But the thought of Luke doubting even the existence of something as beautiful as Love made her sad. But somehow she could understand him. It hit her big time that moment about how hard for Luke taking this all Nocole/marriage/divorve must me after all, even if he hasn't showed that. Luke was definitely way to good of a guy to get through something like that. All the years she knew him, he did nothing but helped people even if he would never admit it. Helped her, dealt with her and her crazy- caffeinated states. Always there, not only for her but also for Rory and that punk Jess and everyone who needed him. ' Luke's a great guy' Lorelai let herself think more about him.

"I came over here. My fault." Luke groaned at Lorelai's response, which caused her to stop those thoughts running I her head.

"I read your mind. It spoke to me. We're psychic." Lorelai smiled brightly at him, but curious what was under that blue baseball cup of diner owner.

"Enjoy the fries." Luke ignored her comment, walking away to the counter, wondering what would happen if she was actually able to read his mind. Would anything change then?

"So where does this leave us?" Lorelai finally asked trying to distract her from looking at Luke.

"Well, I think that Dean's gonna expect us to go, and it is his day, and I don't want him to feel like I don't care about him." Rory explained.

"I know."

" I just want him to be happy." Rory admitted.

"Okay, we'll get him a salad spinner first thing tomorrow morning." Lorelai suggested with a serious expression on her face, but she could swear she saw Luke looking at her in the corner of her eye.

"Thank you." Rory replied happily taking some fries.

* * *

Later that night Luke was closing the diner when half drunk Dean and his friends showed up announcing that Dean's bachelor party should now take place right there in the middle of the diner.

After reassuring them that it was definitely a bad idea Luke hoped they would listed and just leave, even if he started to be a little concerned about the state they were in and after one of the guys named Kyle informed him that he was in the Navy Luke got even more worried about the. Dean was never Luke's favorite person in the world. "_But he wasn't that bad of a kid_" Luke tried to remind himself every time.

"I got a better idea, guys. How about I whip up some pancakes real fast, help soak up whatever it is you drank?" He finally suggested, ready to go to the kitchen and make them.

"Sounds good. We'll be needing energy for phase two." Kyle immediately concurred.

"Strippers, right? We gotta get strippers." One of the guys yelled almost falling on the ground.

"Hey, how much do you give a stripper?" the other asked.

"Well, that depends on what she does." The first one replied rising his eyebrows, which made Luke feel sick at the idea of them and the strippers.

"Are they really prostitutes? 'Cause I'd feel bad if they were prostitutes." Kyle asked worried.

"Look, guys" Luke had to stop them before they would go any further with that idea. "I gotta go in the back for a couple seconds. Don't drink anymore. Don't play jets. Don't jump on the furniture. Just sit still, okay?" He asked, but still down inside he felt terrified about them idea of leaving them alone even for a second.

"And do what?" the guy asked.

"I don't know. Make up a dirty version of the fight song or something." Luke suggested wanting to just get rid of them and be able to finally go upstairs and lay down after an exhausting day and dealing with yet another of Nicole's lawyers.

"Yeah! Great idea!" the guys screamed enthusiastically.

"Rory." Just the Deans mumbled voice could be heard, which immediately cause Luke's attention.

" What did he say?" one of Dean's friends asked.

"Oh, he is so toasted." Other replied

"Rory." Dean mumbled again, now more clearly.

"Did he say what I think he said?" Kyle looked terrified.

"Hey guys, you know what I think? I think it's real late and that maybe you ought to cancel phase two." Luke suggested stepping in; knowing that the best was just to make Dean lay down and sleep.

"No way1" they protested.

"Hear him out, fellas." Kyle nodded at Luke trying to act like a responsible adult.

"I mean, think about it, guys - how you gonna beat laser tag?" Luke asked

"I don't know." One of the guys whined

"Aw, is Dean sick?" finally one of them got the idea.

"He just needs his rest." Luke explained and then turned to Kyle. " Kyle, why don't you march your friends out of here? I'll take care of the groom, and he'll see you all tomorrow." He offered.

"He's right, guys. Let's saddle up." Kyle announced, feeling good I his important role.

"Aren't we getting pancakes?"

"I'm not feeling good." 'God just leave the diner for god's sake' Luke thought frustrated.

"Come on, big guy." He said taking Dean's arm and trying to guide him in the direction of the stairs. '_God! How on earth this kid can be that tall! How could hi and Rory deal with that?_' Luke wondered. _'Aw Jeeez, I don't even wanna know_ "

"What?" Dean asked half conscious.

"Try to walk." Luke said as Dean leaned almost all of his weight on Luke. '_Thank god for the heavy boxes in the storage room'_ Luke joked in hi head.

After nearly 10 minutes of climbing up the stairs and few times of Dean hitting his head on the staircase wall they finally arrived to Luke's apartment.

"Here we are." Luke said opening the door for them to walk in.

"She's smart, man. You know, she's so smart." Dean mumbled uncontrollable now.

"I know, I know." Luke reassured him. '_God, he got it bad!'_

"She could probably fix the world, you know?"

"Right, right. She could team up with Kyle - her brains, his brawn." Luke groaned as they walked further into the apartment.

"No, not Kyle - Rory." Dean said frustrated that Luke "couldn't get it"

"Almost there." Once again Luke decided better to just ignore Rory's name.

"She's the one, you know?" Dean was repeating over and over again.

Luke closed his eyes for a second, guiding Dean over to the free bed.

"Come on, Dean, just slide down there, stop talking." Luke said pushing Dean of off himself.

"And the hair - pretty hair. She has the prettiest hair. And that head. What is that?" Dean babbled as Luke forced him to lay down the little bed.

"Just your shoes. Shh." Luke replied calmly taking off Dean's shoes, who crowded more in to the middle of the bed.

"I miss her. Why didn't she love me?" Dean mumbled in his drunken state falling asleep on Jess's bed. What an irony.

Luke just looked at Dean in disbelieve. He was sure that the boy was definitely not over Rory and running into the marriage as a way to deal with it. You didn't have to be a genius to figure that out. He just sighed heavily, running his hand over his forehead.

Seeing Dean falling asleep, Luke made his way to the kitchen area and opened the fridge pulling out a beer. He didn't know why but somehow Deans words still running inside his head "_Why didn't she love me_".

_'Why didn't she love me?' _He let himself wondered. Maybe it was just time to let go? Maybe it was time to just end it and let his life be? Move on like normal people do? Apparently _she_ was never going to _see _him…

After another hour of thinking and 2 empty bottles of beer, Luke took a deep breath making his way to the phone. He knew the answer to his question. He took the phone and dialed the now familiar number.

"Nicole? Hey it's me…" He said when she picked up.

TBC...?

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**i know it wasn't exactly that much of action but what do you think? worth writing and reading? review and tell me what you think :) should I continue? it's all in your hands now :D**


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